** IRAN DAILY
- Raisi: Annual trade of $500m with Tajikistan possible
High ranking officials of Iran and Tajikistan signed 18 memorandums of understanding in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe on Wednesday. At the signing ceremony, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon signed a joint declaration on deepening strategic and long-term bilateral relations, according to president.ir. Raisi’s visit to Dushanbe was held at the official invitation of Rahmon
- Valiasr Street: Tehran’s historic thoroughfare and cultural haven
Valiasr Street, without a doubt, is one of Tehran’s most renowned and ancient thoroughfares. Its bustling pedestrian paths and towering trees reaching towards the sky create an enchanting atmosphere that has made it a cherished hub for strolling in the capital city. On various occasions, it draws a multitude of pedestrians and tourists to its vibrant surroundings. Valiasr Street can be likened to iconic streets like Paris’ Champs-Élysées or Barcelona’s La Rambla, as they never fail to captivate the crowd and each section holds its own particular charm.
- Israel has acknowledged its possession of nuclear bombs: Iran’s nuclear chief
Iran’s nuclear chief called for global condemnation of recent remarks by an Israeli minister on the possibility of dropping an atomic bomb on Gaza, saying the comments substantiate the assumptions about the regime’s possession of atomic bombs. “Once again, an official with the Zionist regime has admitted to its possession of nuclear weapons. More importantly, he undermined the fundamental principles of the international law and the UN Charter by making threats against the oppressed and innocent people of Gaza,” Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said on Wednesday.
** TEHRAN TIMES
- Economic tailspin
Initial cost of Gaza war for Tel Aviv amounts to $51B, about 10% of Israel’s GDP
The consequences of the al-Aqsa Storm Operation carried out by Hamas on October 7 have seen Israeli companies in tatters as settlers face an unfamiliar situation, not seen before, amid a lack of government financial guidelines for them.
- Death comes with arrogance, hubris and greed…
Narratives, especially about conflicts such as the war mounted directly by the United States in Ukraine (beginning with the 2014 coup in Kyiv), or indirectly by way of vast support for Israel’s obscene genocide in Gaza (the pretext to which was supplied by Hamas “freedom fighters” in the Gaza area on October 7) are critically important. All sorts of different narratives spring up around conflicts and few of them are clearly objective or neutral: they aim to support one side of a conflict or the other to convince the ignorant of the righteousness of some particular action however bloody and cruel it may be. But careful observation of what’s actually happening plus appraisals of various narratives can lead to some objective truths.
- Ayatollah Khamenei rolls out new plans for maritime development
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Revolution, on Tuesday notified Iran’s three government branches (President Ebrahim Raisi’s administration, parliament, and the judiciary) about the country’s new policies aimed to bring sea-based developments to a new level. The Raisi administration is now obliged to present a comprehensive plan based on the new policies, including the submission of bills, approval of regulations, and necessary executive actions, with the assistance of parliament, the judiciary, and responsible organizations within a six-month period.
** KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL
- WHO: Level of suffering in Gaza hard to fathom
Thousands of Palestinians were fleeing on foot Wednesday in a surge away from the barbaric Israeli bombardment in Gaza as Palestinians continued to fight off invading troops.
People walked south from Gaza City, many with nothing but the clothes they wore, while combat raged over a month after the war began.
- India suppresses pro-Palestine voices in dramatic shift
From Western capitals to Muslim states, protest rallies over the Israel-Hamas war have made headlines. But one place known for its vocal pro-Palestinian stance has been conspicuously quiet: Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Indian authorities have barred any solidarity protest in Muslim-majority Kashmir and asked Muslim preachers not to mention the conflict in their sermons, residents and religious leaders told The Associated Press.
- World people frustrated with int’l inaction on Gaza
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi here Wednesday touched on the growing anti-Israel sentiments around the globe, saying that the people of the world are concerned about the inaction of international organizations on the occupying regime’s crimes in the Gaza Strip. He made the remarks at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport before leaving for Tajikistan’s capital of Dushanbe to discuss regional issues.
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